Cribbage board



Aug. 5, 1952 CRIBBAGE BOARD Filed June 21, 1951 I A w) INVENTOR. 10a nah L. S/ac/zaase BY flaw, $46 M A TORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 5, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT "OFFICE 8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a scoring device, particularly to a scoring device to be used in connectlon with the playing of cribbage and other like games.

The conventional cribbage board is provided with point scoring or peg holes which are arranged in two sets, one for each player and each set comprising two parallel rows of the same number of holes, the two sets being separated by a space between and each of said rows is usually divided into groups or units of five holes for ease in counting. There are six units of five holes in each of the two rows of each set, making a total of sixty holes in each set. A game hole is positioned at one end of each inner row of holes in line therewith at the end portion from which end of the set the scoring starts. In scoring a game of cribbage of 121 points, the points made at each play by the player are registered in his set of holes by the use of suitable pins or pegs which are inserted in the proper holes in accordance with the number of points made at each play, the usual method being to peg the score starting at one end of the outer row of holes and proceeding to the opposite end of the said outer row, then turning to the inner row and proceeding back in the opposite direction to the starting point for a second round of pegging of holes and at the finish of the second round, the peg is inserted into the game hole. In the manipulation of the score-indicating pegs, the best of players during the heat of a game often become confused as to whether the count is the first or second round of pegging which frequently gives rise to inaccurate scoring.

An object of the invention is to provide a device for scoring points of the game which device will be so constructed as to prevent mistakes in scoring.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for scoring points of the game in which device the score-indicating elements will be acceptable in the game hole only when in a position to indicate the proper number of points of the game having been registered.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a cribbage board in which the game holes will receive and retain the pegs only when in a position to indicate the proper number of points of the game having been registered.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cribbage board which will show in a positive manner when one-half of the points of a game have been made.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cribbage board and scoring pegs therefor which are so constructed and related to the scoring holes that the score of the game will be positively indicated as being in the first or second round of pegging.

Another object oi. the invention is to provide a cribbage board in which the scoring holes will be arranged to receive one end of the pegs on the first round of pegging of the score holes and in vwhich said holes will be automatically blocked from properly receiving said pegs without re versing the same end for end on the second round of pegging.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cribbage board in which the depth of the first row of peg holes in each set will be changed at the end of the first round 01' pegging whereby to indicate their having been once pegged.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a scoring board embodying one form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a slider element of the board shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of a fragmental ortion of the board taken substantially along line 3-3 of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a fragmental portion taken substantially along line 4-4 of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale;

Figure 5 is a similar view to that shown in Figure 4 but with the elements thereof shown in a different position and also illustrating the elements for registering the score on an enlarged scale;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a fragmental portion of the board of Figure 1 and taken substantially along line 6-45 of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale;

Figure 7 is a sectional view of a fragmental portion of the board taken substantially along line 'l-'! of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale; and

Figure 8 is an end view looking in the direction of the arrows on line 8-8 of Figure 1.

In carrying out one embodiment of the invention, I provide a cribbage board designated generally to having scoring or peg holes I I which are arranged in two sets l2, l2; One set of holes II is a duplicate of the other set, one being disposed along one marginal edge and the other along the opposite marginal edge of the board l0; only one of said sets of holes will be described and the other will be indicated by similar but primed numerals. The peg holes ll of set 12 are arenee e dllfe 're w h .theh i ranged in two parallel rows l3, l4 positioned along the marginal edge It of the board. Each row of holes H is divided into units of five holes by any suitable means such as V grooves [6 which extend laterally across the top surface of the board and likewise divide the rows i3 and M of the other set of holes H. The central top surface portion of the board is set off from the marginal edges l5, l by means of longitudinal grooves l'L- l;'l-which extend from one end of the board" to theother end and intersect the said grooves 16 providing therewith rectangular shaped surface portions IS in which the game count holes l9 and iii are located. A game hole 20 is positioned at one end of the inner row I4 and in line therewith but spaced therefrom a much greater distance than the spacing between '6 each unit of holes H. The board It thus' far described is of a conventional design familiar to most cribbage players.

In accordance with the invention I provide two starting holes 2 i and 22 of a larger diameter than the other holes on the'board and these are positioned in line with each other and with the outer row l3. The top 40 of the board id is made' separate from the lower portion'dil' and is fixed in position 'by'screws 2-3" (see Figure 3 Beneath the outer row l3 of holes I! a longitudinal groove 24 is formed in the bottom of the upper portion of the board Iii to receive a slider zfiwhich has a plura of h l s 26 positioned thereon to correspond to the position of the holes ll of the said row it, the holes 26 may be equal in diameter to the holes H or may be of slightly less diameter. The

slider25 is also provided with two holes 21 and 23 to also correspondin position to the starting holes 2! and 22. A' stop designated generally 29 having an arm 29' (see Figures 1, 4 and 5) is aiiixed to. the. bottom 4.0 at the end 38 thereof as by meansof screws 31 with the arm 28 thereof extending upwardly to be at a position to engage thefadjacent end of the slider 25 and in which position theholes in the slider will be out of register withthegholes in the row a The spacing between the arm 28 andthe 53. said end 3! is preferably a distance such that when the-end. of slider 25 is moved to 'be flush with the end 3Q,- .the holestherein will be aligned with the holes in the said row l3. The slider 25 isnormally heldg in engagement with the stop 29 by meanstof a compression spring 32 which engages thej'oppQ t, end ofthe slider 25 and is'held in;su ch; engagement by means of an end cap 33, afiixed to the adjacent end of the body of the board as by means of screws :i like manner to the opposite end of the row [3 36. In order to indicate the direction of the count in registering the score, the holes H, of the outer. rowldare made; to slant awayfroin the starting holes'and the holes oi -the inner row It are made to slant in the opposite'ldirection or towards the gamehole. '29, thus. indicating that the count'shouldbe in the direction of the slant of the'scoring element or peg designated generally 35.

The peg 35 has a cylindrical formation 3% at one end and a"truncated-conicalformation 3? at the other end'. The 'truncated conical formation Bl is of greater'flength thanthe portion 36 and when inserted into holell ii'n register'with a similar holeithe'slider-25 wi1l extend Within the hole in theisaid slider' 2j5' -while 'the said portion 36 n b pfrja' gtii insufiicient to hfole- Pin the aes e- '15 ur e n portion 35 of the peg 35.

of register with the holes II in the row l3, the said holes II will not accept the end 31 of a peg; that is, should the end 3! be inserted into a hole ll now out of register with the holes in the slider 25, the peg will either topple over or at best be held as shown in dot and dash lines in Figure 7 at such an angle as to obviously indicate that the wrong end of said peg has been inserted into said openings It. The holes ll of said row .l3 when in such position out of register with the openings in the slider 25 will properly receive only the cylindrical end 36 of the pin as shown in full lines in Figure '7. The game hole 20 is made of shallow depth and will only accept and properly hold the Should the end 3'! be inserted into the game hole 28, the peg would topple over or be held at such an angle as shown in Figure 6 as to obviously indicate that the wrong end of the pin has been inserted into said hole 26.

In using the device for scoring a game of 121:

points, each player is provided with a set of two pegs 35, which sets may be of different color if desired. The slider 25 is pushed away from the stop 29 to position the same flush with the edge 39 of the board. This will align the holes 28 in the slider in register with the holes in the outer row l3. As previously pointed out, the starting holes 2| and 22 are larger than the other pegging holes and will not sustain the end 36 of the pegs. This will oblige a player to start the count with the pointed end of the peg. Accordingly, the pointed ends 3'! of the pegs 35 are inserted in the starting holes 2i and 22 to engage in the now aligned holes 2i and 28 in the slider 25 and will hold the same inregister with the said row iii. The points made at the end of a play are registered on the board in a usual manner by removing one of the pegs 35 from the starting holes and inserting the same conical end down into the proper hole ii in the row I3. One peg designated 35a (Fig. 5) will remain in register with one of the holes of the slider in line therewith and maintain said slider in register. with the said row l3. At the end of the, next play, the player registers his score by removing thesaid peg 35a from the other starting hole and counting from the position of the previously moved peg 35 inserts the said peg 35a into the proper hole H of the row I3. It will be noted that a peg 35 is always in engagement with the slider 25 during the first count in row [3 thus keeping the slider in register with the row l3. The scoring continues in a and then turns into the row Mwhich is of a depth to receive the pointed end of the peg to count in the opposite direction toward the starting point. When the last peg is removed from the row l3, the said slider 25 under the influence ofthe spring 32 will, be moved to abut against thestop 29 to position its holes out of register with those in row 13 and row lfiiwill not now receive the pointed end of the peg. At'th end of the count of the holes in the inner row [4, the peg is turned end for end and the count continues into row l3 to again move toward its opposite end back into row' M and into the game hole20.

Should a player upon reaching the end hole designated 1 la inrow ldbe con fused as to the 'number of times the holes have been pegged,

the inserting of said peg 35 into -the game hole said hole 20, as previously described, will not properly receive the conical end of the peg nor will the row !3 receive the conical end of the peg on the second time around, as previously described, thus obliging the player to reverse his peg in order to continue counting. When the holes in row I4 have been twice pegged, the cylindrical end 35 of the peg will be down and in proper position to be received by the game hole 20. Should a short game or 61-point game be played, then the slider 25 is maintained out of register with the row 13 and the cylindrical ends 35 of the pegs are used for pegging the holes Ii. The proper direction of the count is indicated by the slant of the pegs.

It will now be apparent that I have disclosed a scoring device which will indicate the proper direction of movement of the scoring elements and also will force each player to reverse the position of his pegging element from the proper first round position to that required for the second round of pegging of holes and completion of the scoring, thereby eliminating any mistakes in scoring.

I claim:

1. A scoring device comprising a board hav ing a row of first holes passing through the upper portion thereof, a slider slidably mounted beneath said row of holes and having a row of second holes equal in number and similarly spaced to the spacing of the said first holes, said slider being movable to position its holes in and out of alignment with said first holes, a scoreindicating, double-ended element having one end thereof adapted to be inserted in said first holes and into said second holes when said first and second holes are in register with each other to hold said first and second holes in register with each other, said one end of said element being held in an unstable condition in said first holes when the same are out of register with said second holes.

2. A scoring device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said slider is manually moved in a direction to position its holes in register with said first holes and automatically moved in a direction to position its holes out of register with said first holes when free of said scoring element.

3. A cribbage board having a plurality of sets of parallel rows of peg holes, a game hole in line with one of said rows of peg holes in each set, a double-ended peg for pegging said holes in scoring points on said board, said peg having different shaped end portions with one of said end portions being adapted for use in pegging the first round of said holes and the other end portion thereof being adapted for use for pegging the second round of said peg holes, said game hole being of a size to properly receive only the said other end portion of said peg.

4. A cribbage board having a. set of parallel rows of peg holes, a game hole in line with one of said rows of peg holes, a double-ended peg for pegging said holes in scoring points on said board, said peg having different shaped end portions with one of said end portions thereof being adapted for use in pegging the first round of holes in one of said rows, and means for blocking the proper insertion of the said one end portion into the said one of said rows of holes when one round of pegging of the holes in said one row has been made.

5. A cribbage board as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means comprises an apertured slider movable to simultaneously position its holes into and out of register with the said holes in the said one of said rows of holes.

6. A cribbage board as set forth in claim 4 wherein one end of said peg is cylindrical and the other end conical.

'7. A scoring device comprising a board having a row of first holes passing through the upper portion thereof and a plurality of starting holes passing through the upper portion thereof in line with said first holes and of substantially larger diameter, a slider slidably mounted beneath said row of holes and having a row of second holes equal in number to the said first and starting holes, said slider being movable to position its holes in and out of register with the holes in said row, a score indicating, doubleended element having one end thereof adapted to be inserted in said first holes to project into said second holes when said holes are in register with each other and held in an unstable condition in said first holes when the same are out of register with said second holes, said starting holes being of a diameter larger than either end of the said element whereby said starting holes will not by themselves sustain either end of said element in a stable condition.

8. A scoring device comprising a board having a row of first holes passing through the upper portion thereof and a plurality of starting holes passing through the upper portion thereof in line with said first holes, a slider slidably mounted beneath said row of holes and having a row of second holes equal in number to the said first and starting holes, said slider being movable to position its holes in and out of register with the holes in said row, a score-indicating, doubleended element having one end thereof adapted to be inserted in said first holes to project into said second holes when said holes are in register with each other and said one end of said element being held in an unstable condition in said first holes when the same are out of register with said second holes.

DAVID L. STACKHOUSE.

No references cited. 

